Cadiere Forceps (da Vinci)
Cadiere is a non-energized grasper with broad fenestrated jaws. It can present bowel and other tissue during reconstruction, but the jaw shape does not prove that it is the safest bowel grasper or prevent crush and traction injuries.
Design and Platform Compatibility
Current US catalogs distinguish 8 mm multiport Cadiere from 6 mm SP Cadiere and extended-length SP Cadiere. A separate Force Feedback Cadiere is offered for da Vinci 5. Verify the exact model and its instructions; the older semi-rigid Single-Site system is distinct from the articulating SP platform.[1][2][3]
Brown's 2014 experiment studied parallel-occlusion laparoscopic jaw designs, including fenestration and surface profiling. It was not a clinical trial of Cadiere and does not establish a Cadiere-specific grip ratio or an injury-free grasping technique.[4]
Use in Reconstruction
Typical tasks include presenting a bowel segment or omentum and maintaining exposure during pelvic reconstruction. Instrument choice depends on tissue quality, the available angle, and whether the arm also needs energy capability. A colorectal or gastric-bypass technique report can illustrate a workflow, but cannot establish the optimal instrument for urinary diversion, ureteral reconstruction or sacrocolpopexy.
For bowel handling, identify the segment and mesentery before grasping, distribute traction across a suitable area, and avoid a small, heavily compressed bite of bowel wall. Reassess tension while the other instruments move. Friable, ischemic, inflamed or irradiated tissue may tolerate very little traction even with broad jaws.
Cadiere and Other Graspers
| Instrument | Distinction relevant to selection |
|---|---|
| Cadiere | Broad fenestrated, non-energized grasping |
| ProGrasp | Alternative non-energized jaw profile for sustained retraction |
| Tip-Up Fenestrated | Different jaw profile that may help present tissue at a particular angle |
| Fenestrated bipolar | Grasping plus bipolar coagulation; energy adds separate thermal precautions |
None of these labels determines a universally safe traction direction or proves superior bowel outcomes. Non-energized graspers still require a planned method of hemostasis when bleeding occurs.
Safety and Evidence Limits
An early gastric-bypass comparison reported five conversions to open surgery (11%) for intestinal laceration during robotic manipulation among 45 robotic cases, with no difference in leak or stenosis versus laparoscopy. This was a historical clinical experience, not a Cadiere-specific injury rate, and it should not be extrapolated to contemporary urinary diversion or Force Feedback instruments.[5]
Conventional robotic graspers lack direct tactile sensation. Compatible da Vinci 5 Force Feedback instruments add information about tissue interaction, but visual monitoring and conservative handling remain necessary. Do not assume that haptic resistance measures every component of jaw compression.[3]
Inspect the instrument, confirm its remaining use-life and follow the system's reprocessing and exchange instructions. If exposure is inadequate, reassess the arm position, tissue purchase and overall operative plan rather than simply increasing traction. The exact instrument set and local cost should be assessed together; a non-energized instrument is not automatically the lowest-cost choice in every contract or workflow.
References
1. Intuitive. Da Vinci Multiport Instrument and Accessory Catalog. BUS00143 V3 US, January 2026. Manufacturer catalog.
2. Intuitive. Da Vinci SP Instrument and Accessory Catalog. MAT03926US v4, June 2026. Manufacturer catalog.
3. Intuitive. Da Vinci instruments and Force Feedback technology. Current manufacturer descriptions, accessed September 12, 2026. Instrument portfolio; Force Feedback.
4. Brown AW, Brown SI, McLean D, Wang Z, Cuschieri A. "Impact of fenestrations and surface profiling on the holding of tissue by parallel occlusion laparoscopic graspers." Surg Endosc. 2014;28(4):1277–83. doi:10.1007/s00464-013-3323-7
5. Hubens G, Balliu L, Ruppert M, et al. "Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure performed with the da Vinci robot system: is it worth it?" Surg Endosc. 2008;22(7):1690–6. doi:10.1007/s00464-007-9698-6